De Blasio to End Programs in NYC for Gifted Students

The holy-grail of diversity at the expense of gifted and talented students in New York City’s public schools seems to have won out. A mayor-backed panel has just recommended eliminating perhaps the only worthwhile and successful “gifted and talented programs” within the entire Public Schools System.

The mayor’s proposal which of course is backed by the Teachers Union would in effect eliminate programs that would require students to achieve a higher degree of proficiency within academics and the arts.

The panel was appointed by Mayor Bill de Blasio under the guise of ending school desegregation, while actually discriminating against gifted and talented students, who happen for the most part to be white and Asian students, benefiting from the programs.

De Blasio along with the Teachers Union has purposely created a straw- man regarding the gifted and talented programs, for the sole purpose of denying the indisputable facts concerning Asian students. In that this unique minority class in a city where almost 85% of its residents are minorities, dominates admission enrollments to the cities elite high schools.

Moreover, although Asian students are only about 13% of the population in New York City, they make up over 50% of the acceptance rate within those elite high schools, compared to a population of about 70% for black and Hispanic students making up just about 10% acceptance rate.

Whether de Blasio likes it or not, those are the uncomfortable facts regardless of what the mayor and the Teachers Union dream up in their attempt at socially engineer what can’t be fixed with phony platitudes of diversity.

The sudden purge to eliminate programs that have benefited students in achieving higher scholastic goals regardless of race should be celebrated not eliminated, however, that’s exactly what de Blasio and his cronies are doing, blaming these programs for causing the segregation of schools. While in reality, the culprits are dysfunctional homes, fractured families, drugs, and abuse.

Both of these minority groups live within the same general neighborhoods and attend the same high school, yet 50% Asian students are accepted into elite high schools, while only 10% of black and Hispanic with a much greater population is accepted.

The mayor’s panel has suggested that within the next 3-years it should discontinue the use of the Gifted & Talented admissions tests in elementary schools, plus a moratorium on new Gifted & Talented programs while phasing out existing programs.

Moreover, allow existing Gifted & Talented programs to continue and then slowly phased out, a student’s age and will not receive new incoming classes.

The panel also recommends the same basic 3-year time limit scenario for both middle schools and high schools, along with the same progressive talking points within their recommendations, all governed by race, rather than individual academic abilities and accomplishments.

Maya Wiley, the co-chair of the School Diversity Advisory Group that made the recommendation, said at a news conference Tuesday.

“Every single parent who says, ‘I’m now afraid because I don’t want to lose the opportunity for my child to be challenged,’ and we say, ‘Yes, we agree.'”

However high-profile supporters of the gifted and talented programs pushed back against the purposed eliminations.

As did the city’s Asian American leaders within the community. Queens Assemblyman Ron Kim spoke out against the de Blasio scheme stating, “We’re pitting communities against each other. “We’re blaming people and we’re blaming the system, instead of fighting for more money and resources so that every child, doesn’t matter where you come from, has more access to a good education.”

The unholy alliance between Gracie Mansion (de Blasio’s digs) and the Teachers Union is perhaps best exemplified in their universal disregard for Charter Schools compared to public schools.

In a recent head to head comparison Charter Schools outperformed public schools in almost every category.

For example, students in grades 3 through 8 passed the state math exam this year by 63%, while their counterparts in public school given the exact same math tests passed by 46%.

Students proficient in English Language Arts outperformed their public school rivals 57% compared to 47%.

Charters are publicly-funded but operate independently of City Hall. They typically have longer school days, and fans say they offer a rigorous alternative to public schools, especially for children of color in low-income neighborhoods.

Yet the mayor along with the Teachers Union is opposed to any additional schools being created.

About Bob A.

I began my career as a New York graphic designer, years later as an Art Director working with some of the leading advertising agencies and studios of the day, transitioned into owning my own graphic design service, providing a host of creative services, most recently as a working cartoonist for a verity of clients, my most recent illustrative assignment was a 33-page children’s book titled “Nicholas’s Amazing Journey.”
I’m a published author, with my first novel titled “Journey” published in 2003, and my second a short story titled “Mr. Tidbit’s Dilemma”, published in 2014, by American Star Books, and I’m currently working on my third novel, a murder-mystery titled “Possession,” which hopefully should be completed early next year.
I’m also an unabashed conservative and political junkie writing well over 4,000 published articles and political commentary, on a host of national issues and current event topics facing America.
I received the 2007 Editors Choice Award, for Outstanding Achievement in poetry, presented by Poetry.com and the International Library of Poetry, and I am a proud member of the National Writers Association.

3 comments

He still thinks he has a chance to be Vice President. Of course, he is appealing to the left. I am surprised he is not in California he is so far left. This country was always appreciative of EQUAL opportunity for all to attend the elite schools by passing exams. Not with a bang but a whimper.